Cameroon secured a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after edging Ghana 1-0, while Mali revived their knockout hopes with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Cape Verde on Sunday.
The two Group D matches in Casablanca have left the qualification race finely poised heading into the final round of fixtures.
Cameroon maintained their perfect start to the competition with a narrow victory over Ghana at the Moulay Rachid Stadium. Marie Gisele Ngah Manga scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot after a VAR review adjudged Ghana to have handled the ball inside the area.
The result lifted the Indomitable Lionesses to six points from two matches and almost guaranteed their progression to the quarterfinals with one group game still to play.
Ghana, meanwhile, suffered their first defeat of the tournament after opening their campaign with a victory. The Black Queens remain on three points and will need a positive result in their final fixture to strengthen their chances of advancing.
At the Larbi Zaouli Stadium, Mali produced one of the day’s most entertaining games, beating tournament debutants Cape Verde 3-2 in a five-goal thriller.
The victory moved Mali onto three points, level with Ghana, and kept their quarter-final ambitions firmly alive. Cape Verde, who suffered their second consecutive defeat, remain without a point and are out of contention for a top two finish.
Group D Standings
Cameroon – 6 points
Ghana – 3 points
Mali – 3 points
Cape Verde – 0 points
With Cameroon already through, the battle for the remaining qualification places will go down to the final day.
Ghana and Mali are level on points, while Cape Verde will be seeking a consolation result in their final match.
The 2026 WAFCON, being staged in Morocco from July 26 to August 16, is the first edition to feature 16 teams. The expanded tournament has four groups of four, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the quarterfinals.
